Vietnam and Cambodia (Code: Code: VN-C02)

Here experience the charm of Hanoi and the beauty of Ha Long Bay. Trace the history of Hue’s majestic palaces, Hoi An’s trading days and bustling Ho Chi Minh City. Visit the rice bowl of Vietnam, the Mekong Delta and continue the Mekong experience with your cruise from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh. Visit traditional villages along the way and observe daily life along the might Mekong into Cambodia and your discovery of Angkor Wat and its surroundings. A grand finale to a memorable journey.

Inclusions:

- 12 night hotel accommodation as listed below or similar.

- 1 night on board in Ha Long Bay.

- 13 breakfasts, 12 lunches and 3 dinners.

- Modern, comfortable transportation throughout the tour.

- Boat cruises in Ha Long, Hue, My Tho, Can Tho and Siem Reap.

- Entrance fees as stated in the tour program.

- English or French speaking local guide in the North, Centre and the South.

Exclusions:

- International flights

- Air tickets Hanoi - Hue/ Da Nang - Saigon/ Phnom Penh - Siem Reap.

- Any meals, drinks other than specified.

- Tips and personal expenses.

Day 1 Hanoi

Dinner

Arrive in Hanoi and transfer to your centrally located hotel.

Day 2 Hanoi

Breakfast - Lunch

This day tour provides an introduction to the history of Vietnam. We spend the morning visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the ancient Temple of Literature, where you will learn about the historical and cultural events that have shaped Vietnam. In the afternoon, we visit the Ethnologic museum, followed by an exhilarating, hour long cyclo tour through the bustling Old Quarter. A walk through its exciting streets is a fascinating introduction to the different lifestyles of Vietnam, and an opportunity to shop for bargains. To finish off the day, we attend the performance of the unique water puppetry.

Day 3 Hanoi - Ha Long

Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner

This morning we leave Hanoi by road for Ha Long Bay, enjoying the timeless scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and daily life of the countryside. On arrival in Ha Long, we board a beautifully appointed wooden junk. A sea food lunch will be served as we cruise among the hundreds of islets in the Bay. Our cruise takes us to Sung Sot cave to witness a splendid sunset. Overnight on boat.

Day 4 Ha Long - Hanoi - Hue

Breakfast - Lunch

Continue to explore Luon cave by a small motor or rowing boat. After breakfast we leave the cruise and depart for Bac Ninh Province to learn more of Vietnam’s history and culture. We enjoy the traditional Quan Ho Folk song show, and later transfer to the airport for flight to the imperial city of Hue.

Day 5 Hue

Breakfast - Lunch

We visit the impressive tombs of King Minh Mang and Tu Duc together with the Tu Hieu Pagoda, and then cruise the Perfume River to the ancient Old Thien Mu Pagoda. In the afternoon, we visit the forbidding Citadel and the crowded market of Dong Ba, where you can bargain for anything from souvenirs and bronze goods, to Hue sesame sweetmeat and conical poem hats.

Day 6 Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An

Breakfast - Lunch

We cross the spectacular Hai Van Pass to Da Nang city, where we visit the best Cham museum in Vietnam and take a short break at Marble Mountain, before continuing to Hoi An, an ancient town of meandering narrow streets dating back to the 16th century. An afternoon tour takes us to the ancient Japanese Bridge, Phuoc Kien Pagoda, the ancient house Tran Phu and the Hoi An Museum. Enjoy shopping for tailor made clothing, lanterns, shoes and food, or simply relax on the beach or in the myriad restaurants and cafés.

Day 7 Da Nang - Ho Chi Minh City

Breakfast - Lunch

Today, we visit the controversial War Remnants Museum, the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the post office. In the afternoon, we will see Thien Hau Pagoda and a busy market of Cho Lon. Explore Dong Khoi Street, the city’s most upscale shopping boulevard with boutiques selling clothes and accessories by Vietnamese designers, hill tribe crafts, high quality linens and house wares. Don’t miss Ho Chi Minh City’s atmosphere by night. This city lives up to its exciting and often mischievous reputation.

Day 8 Ho Chi Minh City - My Tho - Can Tho

Breakfast - Lunch

This morning, we will depart for My Tho, the gateway to the Mekong Delta. We travel by boat along the Mekong water-way, visiting Xep canal, where you totally escape from the busy own. We disembark and have a walk around the village. Stop at a local family to enjoy tropical fruit, taste honey tea and listen to Vietnamese traditional music, performance by the villagers. Later on, we will get experience a horse cart trip along village road. Enjoy your peaceful moment on a rowing boat through the small canal to our motor boat. Transfer back to Saigon.We will lunch at a local restaurant. Continuing on, we depart for Can Tho, arriving in the late afternoon. The rest of the day is free time.

Day 9 Can Tho - Chau Doc

Breakfast - Dinner

This morning board our boat for a visit to the fascinating floating market at Cai Rang. See local farmers trading their produce on the water as they have done for centuries. Continue on to a fruit orchard where you can sample the tropical fruits grown in this region together with local tea. In the afternoon, we drive deeper to Chau Doc. On arrival, visit Sam Mountain with its breathtaking views over rice paddies to the Cambodian border and await a beautiful sunset. Overnight in Chau Doc.

Day 10 Chau Doc - Phnom Penh

Breakfast - Lunch

This morning, we take a boat trip to Phnom Penh, a city that retains its traditional Khmer and French colonial charm. French villas along tree-lined boulevards remind the visitor that the city was once considered the gem of South-East Asia. After arrival at our hotel we visit the Royal Palace compound, built in 1866 and the most conspicuous feature of the city and also one of the most impressive colourful Khmer-style palaces. Near the palace is the Silver Pagoda (the Emerald Buddha temple), displaying several Buddha statues decorated with diamonds, emeralds, gold and silver. From the Silver Pagoda, we visit the Independence Monument which was constructed in 1954 after the French decolonization, then we head to the National Museum, a distinctive red building of beautiful Khmer architecture built in 1917. It contains more than 5000 art objects made of sandstone, bronze, silver, copper and wood. We return to the hotel and free time.

Day 11 Phnom Penh - Siem Reap

Breakfast - Lunch

Departing Phnom Penh, we head to Phnom Baset and en route, visit a Cham Muslim village. In Phnom Baset visit the pre-Angkorian temple (8th century) and the pagoda to view the reclining Buddha. Here you can enjoy the beautiful view of the surrounding plains and rice-fields from the hilltop. Later, we travel by road to Udong where a picnic lunch will be served. Here we visit ancient temples and the three large Stupas where the ashes of three former Kings are preserved. Next, we view the most impressive structure of the site, the Vihara of the 18- Cubit Buddha. En route to Phnom Penh, we stop to visit a silver craft village. Cambodia’s recent past has been turbulent and your visit to Tuol Sleng prison (Genocide Museum) brings that past into sharp relief. This was the murderous Khmer Rouge’s premier security institution, specifically designed for the interrogation and extermination of anti Angkar elements. Further evidence of this regime is evidenced at Choeung Ek museum. Between 1975 and 1978 about 17,000 men, women, children and infants were detained and tortured at the prison and then transported to the extermination camp of Choeung Ek, humanity at its worst. From Phnom Penh we fly to Siem Reap and transferred to our hotel. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 12 Siem Reap

Breakfast - Lunch

This morning, we start our visit with the magnificent Banteay Srei temple. The special charm of this temple lies in its compact size, remarkable state of preservation, and the excellence of it decorative carving. We continue to Banteay Samre. Its rose-colored sandstone walls are decorated with carvings and bas-reliefs, which are among the most accomplished Angkor has to offer. In the afternoon, we see the fabulous Ta Prohm, embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers, and the Prasat Kravan, famous for its unique brick sculptures. Continuing our tour, we inspect Srah Srang,the Royal Baths once used for ritual bathing and the Banteay Kdei, surrounded by four concentric walls. The last stop of today is Thommanon and Chaosay Tevorda temple.

Day 13 Siem Reap

Breakfast - Lunch

We start our day with 45 minutes cycle ride to world heritage areas on the less travelled roads including jungle paths through local villages. It is a very special day as we explore some of Angkor’s most beautiful temples, including the secluded West Gate of Angkor Thom. In the afternoon, we visit the famous temple, Angkor Wat, a World Heritage Site since 1992, famous for its beauty and splendor. This site features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology. Visit Bakheng Temple and a romantic sunset from Bakheng hill. Enjoy a relaxing foot massage before transferring to our hotel.

Day 14 Depart Siem Reap

Breakfast - Lunch

We board our boat on Tonle Sap Lake and enjoy a cruise past floating villages complete with schools, restaurants, and hospitals. Then we visit Puok which is home to the Artisans d’Angkor Silk Farm. Here we will witness the entire silk production process, from the silk worm munching on the Mulberry leaves, to spinning their cocoons, the cocoons being harvested and turned into silk thread, women weaving, and of course the beautiful finished silk products, which we can purchase at the on-site boutique, a wonderful souvenir of Cambodia. Transfer to the airport for your departure.